Copy Skills with Affinity!

Chapter 207

Conclusion (2)

If ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍I recalled Wornil as he appeared in the game, then honestly, his form was incredibly vague.

By vague, I didn’t mean that my memory of him was unclear—I meant that his actual appearance itself had been indistinct.

Just like the Harvester, that apostle-like creature, had shown, I remembered that Wornil too had taken on a mist-like form that devoured everything it came into contact with, indiscriminately tearing it all apart.

And if there was a problem, then it was, of course, that.

‘…How do I kill it?’

In the game, the objective had been to prevent Wornil from awakening in the first place.

The moment the seal broke, it was game over. Like some sealed being whose limbs had all gathered together, it had been an unavoidable force that wiped out all of our life in an instant.

So, although I had already strayed far beyond the original storyline throughout my journey up until now,

even taking that into account, this was the first time I had faced an opponent whose strategy I couldn’t grasp at all.

“…Is it beyond here?”

Noel exhaled deeply and sheathed her sword.

Even as she did that, white vapor billowed from her mouth like breath, giving off a ferocious impression.

It even felt like the steam that had risen to the top of her head in a cartoonish way was now escaping outside her body.

And even Noel, in such a state, paused for a moment—the temple standing before us was that terrifying.

To begin with, even the main gate looked far from normal.

From beyond the thick stone door that seemed to have sealed everything shut, an ominous aura visibly seeped out.

I didn’t know what lay inside, but at a glance, it was certain that nothing good would come from entering.

“…Hmm.”

And it seemed I wasn’t the only one who felt that way, as the group—who had been pushing forward like a bulldozer until now—hesitated and glanced at me.

It was clear they had already calculated that, in their current condition, they wouldn’t be able to simply overpower whatever was inside.

“What’s the plan?”

As expected from someone who had recognized that fact earlier, Rania spoke with the most composure.

Looking at the gazes directed at me from all around, it was obvious that everyone understood who held the casting vote now that we had come this far.

“…We go in.”

And in truth, there was only one decision we could make in this situation.

A forced breakthrough. That had been the answer from the beginning.

As I said that, I took a deep breath as if opening the door to a tomb and pushed open the stone coffin’s lid.

And at the same time—

“…!”

At the energy billowing before our eyes, everyone froze.

Of course, since it was a mad god that devoured everything in sight, I hadn’t expected it to be easy.

Even so.

What should I even call this energy flowing out from within?

Pitch-black. Clinging. Rotten and decayed.

As if all the malice in the world had been poured into a massive cauldron and boiled until it burned and stuck to the bottom—

that kind of malice rushed toward us.

“….”

I narrowed my eyes and looked at the ‘thing’ settled inside the coffin.

A black, pulsating heart. Just by looking at how it breathed out ominous black energy in all directions, it was easy to tell what it was.

Wornil’s heart.

The only part that remained intact after his body had been torn apart and sealed in pieces.

…The fact that a mere heart alone could emit such vicious energy was astonishing.

And the moment we stepped inside—

from within the coffin, traces of a storm-like deathly aura began to leak out all the way to the entrance of the great cavern. It was so dense that anyone without resistance to this kind of energy would faint on the spot.

What was absurd was that this wasn’t even it trying to pressure us—

it was merely a byproduct. That heart beyond the entrance

seemed to shake the atmosphere and crush the very ground beneath us. Just by standing there, it gave off the overwhelming presence of a predator devouring the space itself.

The strongest. The most vicious. The worst.

The evil god that had tried to swallow the entire Pantheon was simply radiating its existence just by being there.

[-You’ve come.]

That voice dropped into the air.

It wasn’t doing anything at all—just speaking—yet the expressions of everyone in the group, including the chick, hardened.

It was like that—like how when a tiger growls, the infrasound makes people tremble.

In other words,

everyone in the group, each bearing a god within them, felt as though they were humans facing a tiger with their bare hands.

That was the kind of gap that truly existed.

Going beyond merely dark, it clung like something sticky. Just facing it made me feel as though I were being crushed. The God of Devouring, exuding an overwhelming presence as naturally as breathing, was looking down at us without even the slightest movement.

“-Sir Aiden.”

Noel, who had been quietly watching it, let out a deep sigh and began to speak.

“How many times have you faced something like that?”

“…….”

Well, that was true.

But seeing it again like this, right in front of me, made it feel new all over again.

No matter how many times I saw it, it was the kind of thing that always brought about a bizarre sort of discomfort….

“…Still.”

Noel continued after taking a deep breath.

“I think we can manage something like that, at least.”

“…….”

I stared at her for a moment, at a loss for words.

No.

Of course, I somewhat agreed that it might be doable, but still—

to look at a god that could bring about the destruction of the world and say the first thing that came to mind was ‘we can take it’—

as I mulled over the thought that this person’s senses were quite broken as well, Noel let out a small chuckle and continued.

“Haven’t we already gone through worse than this?”

“…….”

“I don’t think this is anything special.”

I blankly looked at her for a moment.

A strange emotion that was hard to put into words was slowly wriggling up inside my chest.

Hearing words that made it feel like she had seen everything with me while we ran around together all this time—

well.

Ah, so this really was the end.

These people had followed me all the way to the very end.

Those thoughts pounded inside my head.

“…Sir. Miss Katya. And the other two.”

“If anything, call us by our names.”

“Yeah, yeah. It’s a bit much to lump us together like that—”

“Thank you.”

“…….”

“I love you.”

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

At those words, the women all looked at each other at the same time.

The expressions on their faces were probably all similar….

“…Sir Aiden.”

“Yes.”

“Stop spouting nonsense and focus on the battle.”

“…….”

“Why are you suddenly acting all sentimental like that? It’s unsettling.”

“…….”

No.

A person could get a bit emotional before the final battle.

As I thought that and felt the burning sensation beneath my eyes recede, Noel strode over and suddenly grabbed the back of my neck.

“…Sir Noel, what are you—”

Before I could even ask what she was trying to do, Noel pulled my head sharply toward her.

Naturally, our lips met.

“…….”

Caught off guard by the sudden action without any warning, I could only blink, while Noel lightly patted my shoulder and laughed cheerfully.

“I feel the same about being thankful and loving you. Why are you suddenly saying it out loud like you need confirmation?”

“…….”

“Oh, and while we’re at it.”

Still gripping the back of my head, Noel grabbed me with one hand and dragged me along.

It was a bizarre sight—an adult man being dragged with his feet barely touching the ground—but Noel pushed my face toward Katya and the priestess sisters.

It was only a light brush, but one after another, small kissing sounds rang out as our lips touched in turn.

“A gift.”

“…….”

“This should give everyone some strength.”

“…….”

Not just me—even those who had been kissed all wore expressions that couldn’t process what had just happened.

…No.

…………………………No.

With a face that looked like my soul had left my body, I stared at Noel, who was still gripping the back of my head.

‘…Come to think of it.’

That ‘future Noel’ I had seen in the Holy Crown Kingdom before—

I felt like I had just glimpsed a fragment of how she ended up like that.

“Uh, thanks?”

“…Katya.”

“No, I mean, I am thankful.”

“…What exactly are you doing?”

In the meantime, as I watched Katya rubbing her lips with her hand and even trying to lick them, I asked while feeling my soul leave my body.

The answer I got back was something else entirely.

“No, it went by too quickly, so I didn’t really get to taste it properly.”

“…….”

“I’m curious, you know.”

“…Stop talking nonsense and let’s go fight.”

The final battle.

Began.

▣

The first thing I felt when facing Wornil was, as expected, the pressure.

As I approached the beating heart, the sensation coming from it twisted all of my internal organs.

And then—

[-Food.]

Just hearing it open its mouth like that, I barely gathered the strength in my weakening legs and held onto my sanity.

My breathing was ragged. My vision spun.

The ‘eyes’ of an Outsider said to exist beyond the Pantheon were staring at me.

Of course, since it was a god whose body had been completely torn apart, there was no way something like that remained—but if such a thing did exist, I felt certain it would be looking at me.

And when I faced that, there was something I could vaguely, yet clearly, feel above all else.

‘…It won’t be enough.’

Even with just the people here, ‘fighting’ itself would be possible. But it felt insufficient to guarantee a decisive victory.

Especially considering that, from my perspective, that heart was only what I could call ‘Phase 1.’

It was time for a new decisive move—something that could turn the tide.

And that clue—

was not very far away.